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The Infinite Sea
7.9
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The Infinite Sea is the second book in the phenomenal and bestselling 5th Wave series by...
Passage to Passion - The Complete Collection
8.0
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The heat level goes through the roof, and the action never stops! ARCTIC EXPOSURE To the rest...
Adult Contemporary Romance Collection
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6) in Books
Jan 5, 2023
Contains spoilers, click to show
4 of 235
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Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6)
By Auryn Hadley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Auryn Hadley's sixth action-adventure in The Rise of the Iliri fantasy series asks how far mankind will go to protect their pride. Because it seems they'll guard it at the expense of all else. Reminiscent of a futuristic Lord of the Rings, this epic fantasy romance traces not only the personal journey of its heroine and her family - a reverse harem made up of nine indomitable warriors who comprise an elite military force called the Black Blades - but also the liberation of a people and a new way of thinking for the whole world. For the source of iliri power is not domination, but connection. They seek it, cultivate it, and use it to defeat their enemies.
It's the iliri - now a rising, formidable race of underdogs - who must decide whether to risk their lives for the ungracious human race. Unbeknownst to humans, their fate lies in the capable hands of the iliri leader, the powerful Salryc Luxx. And she's no longer willing to be yanked around at any price.
Sal and the Black Blades have been summoned to a meeting with Parliament representatives of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. But this time, she's not serving as their slave. Nor is she about to be captured and brought to trial again. Now the ruler of all iliri in her adopted country of Anglia - and de facto queen - she knows she has the upper hand.
The enemy Terrans have besieged Eastward, engaging in brutal guerrilla tactics throughout the country - hitting without mercy and killing all in their path. The world of humans is desperate.
"Tell me why I should send my brothers and sisters to die for humans that care so little for us?" Sal asks. The answer she's searching for comes from a frail iliri servant, whose telltale snow-colored skin is almost as light as Sal's: If she leaves the humans to die by the Terrans, war and enslavement will continue. History will repeat itself. But if it's the iliri and their allies who manage to defeat evil, perhaps humans can learn to respect them.
She knows she isn't finished fighting. Iliri warriors haven't yet "done enough." Not while so many of their brothers are still enslaved.
Alongside her faithful friends and leaders--and the tireless Black Blades - Sal must choose whether to surrender to her role as their leader and contend with The Emperor's murderous army - as well as the treacherous pride of the human race.
!!! Has a spoiler for book 5!!!
Every time I pick one of these books up I say it’s the best one yet and yes I’m saying it again! After the tears at the end of Book 5 we catch up with Sal and the blades dealing with the aftermath of losing Blaec and finding her feet with her new role and new male. This is non stop from the first word to the last. Brilliantly written it has to be one of my favourite series. Highly recommended for the fantasy readers!
Kindle
Resilience ( Rise of Iliri book 6)
By Auryn Hadley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Auryn Hadley's sixth action-adventure in The Rise of the Iliri fantasy series asks how far mankind will go to protect their pride. Because it seems they'll guard it at the expense of all else. Reminiscent of a futuristic Lord of the Rings, this epic fantasy romance traces not only the personal journey of its heroine and her family - a reverse harem made up of nine indomitable warriors who comprise an elite military force called the Black Blades - but also the liberation of a people and a new way of thinking for the whole world. For the source of iliri power is not domination, but connection. They seek it, cultivate it, and use it to defeat their enemies.
It's the iliri - now a rising, formidable race of underdogs - who must decide whether to risk their lives for the ungracious human race. Unbeknownst to humans, their fate lies in the capable hands of the iliri leader, the powerful Salryc Luxx. And she's no longer willing to be yanked around at any price.
Sal and the Black Blades have been summoned to a meeting with Parliament representatives of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. But this time, she's not serving as their slave. Nor is she about to be captured and brought to trial again. Now the ruler of all iliri in her adopted country of Anglia - and de facto queen - she knows she has the upper hand.
The enemy Terrans have besieged Eastward, engaging in brutal guerrilla tactics throughout the country - hitting without mercy and killing all in their path. The world of humans is desperate.
"Tell me why I should send my brothers and sisters to die for humans that care so little for us?" Sal asks. The answer she's searching for comes from a frail iliri servant, whose telltale snow-colored skin is almost as light as Sal's: If she leaves the humans to die by the Terrans, war and enslavement will continue. History will repeat itself. But if it's the iliri and their allies who manage to defeat evil, perhaps humans can learn to respect them.
She knows she isn't finished fighting. Iliri warriors haven't yet "done enough." Not while so many of their brothers are still enslaved.
Alongside her faithful friends and leaders--and the tireless Black Blades - Sal must choose whether to surrender to her role as their leader and contend with The Emperor's murderous army - as well as the treacherous pride of the human race.
!!! Has a spoiler for book 5!!!
Every time I pick one of these books up I say it’s the best one yet and yes I’m saying it again! After the tears at the end of Book 5 we catch up with Sal and the blades dealing with the aftermath of losing Blaec and finding her feet with her new role and new male. This is non stop from the first word to the last. Brilliantly written it has to be one of my favourite series. Highly recommended for the fantasy readers!
Becs (244 KP) rated Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Children in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Synopsis: September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them—but she’s trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. There, they hope to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom.
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction
Audience/Reading Level: Middle School+
Interests: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal
Style: Light Read
Point of View: Third Person
Difficulty Reading: It was a very easy read and know even younger individuals will be able to understand what the underlying meaning of the story is.
Promise: Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience that will delight readers of all ages.
Quality: Like your favorite cake with extra whip cream and ice cream. 😉
Insights: When I first read this series, I read Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs first to get a better understanding of the characters since I had a feeling that there was going to be a lot of references to it. I was right. I honestly fell in love with this series and love the way that Ransom Riggs writes. It just captures my attention and transports me into a world of fantasy that is a great escape from reality!
Favorite Quotes: “Laughing doesn’t make bad things worse any more than crying makes them better.”
“There was romance in the unknown, but once a place had been discovered and cataloged and mapped, it was diminished, just another dusty fact in a book, sapped of mystery. So maybe it was better to leave a few spots on the map blank. To let the world keep a little of its magic, rather than forcing it to divulge every last secret. Maybe it was better, now and then, to wonder.”
What will you gain: A love of a new fantasy world that will make you wish, you too were a part of the Peculiar children’s world.
Aesthetics: I absolutely love the vintage style this series has. The photographs help give an idea of who and what the characters look like. The way that Ransom Riggs writes, just draws anybody of any age into the plot and storyline, like an enchantment that takes you from the real world, into a world filled with magic, hope, love, and adventure.
“Some truths are expressed best in the form of myth.”
Synopsis: September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them—but she’s trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. There, they hope to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom.
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction
Audience/Reading Level: Middle School+
Interests: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal
Style: Light Read
Point of View: Third Person
Difficulty Reading: It was a very easy read and know even younger individuals will be able to understand what the underlying meaning of the story is.
Promise: Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience that will delight readers of all ages.
Quality: Like your favorite cake with extra whip cream and ice cream. 😉
Insights: When I first read this series, I read Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs first to get a better understanding of the characters since I had a feeling that there was going to be a lot of references to it. I was right. I honestly fell in love with this series and love the way that Ransom Riggs writes. It just captures my attention and transports me into a world of fantasy that is a great escape from reality!
Favorite Quotes: “Laughing doesn’t make bad things worse any more than crying makes them better.”
“There was romance in the unknown, but once a place had been discovered and cataloged and mapped, it was diminished, just another dusty fact in a book, sapped of mystery. So maybe it was better to leave a few spots on the map blank. To let the world keep a little of its magic, rather than forcing it to divulge every last secret. Maybe it was better, now and then, to wonder.”
What will you gain: A love of a new fantasy world that will make you wish, you too were a part of the Peculiar children’s world.
Aesthetics: I absolutely love the vintage style this series has. The photographs help give an idea of who and what the characters look like. The way that Ransom Riggs writes, just draws anybody of any age into the plot and storyline, like an enchantment that takes you from the real world, into a world filled with magic, hope, love, and adventure.
“Some truths are expressed best in the form of myth.”
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated To Kill a Kingdom in Books
Jun 8, 2018
I really enjoy books that take mermaids (or sirens, in this case, as mermaids exist but are something different in this world) and turn them back to their murderous roots. Adding in Cthulhu-esque horror made Into the Drowning Deep especially fascinating. To Kill A Kingdom didn't have much horror - it took the fantasy adventure/quest route instead.
The book alternates between the viewpoints of Princess Lira, the siren known as the Prince's Bane, and Prince Elian. Their name is at the start of each chapter that is written from their viewpoint, but it's small and easily missed. I wish it was in a larger, more obvious font, because I kept having to flip back a few pages to figure out who I was reading.
I loved seeing the character growth of Lira as she comes to know the humans, and realizes there is another possibility besides just following her mother's brutal orders. She learns, watching Elian's people follow him, that there is a way to inspire loyalty rather than compel it by magic and brutality.
Lira definitely shows more character growth than Elian does, and the book never really explains how Elian gets past the fact that she's killed so many princes.
The beginning of the book was also a little slow - I actually set it aside for a couple of weeks while reading other things and worried a little that I was never going to pick it up again. Worried because I don't usually not finish books unless they're terrible, not because I actually wanted to find out what happened. I didn't get invested in the characters until probably about halfway through the book. Books usually catch me far before that point.
So - it was okay. If you want predatory mermaids, I would recommend Into the Drowning Deep long before this one. Though if you want more fantasy with a touch of romance, and less horror, then this is probably the book you want. Just be warned it takes some time to hit its stride.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
The book alternates between the viewpoints of Princess Lira, the siren known as the Prince's Bane, and Prince Elian. Their name is at the start of each chapter that is written from their viewpoint, but it's small and easily missed. I wish it was in a larger, more obvious font, because I kept having to flip back a few pages to figure out who I was reading.
I loved seeing the character growth of Lira as she comes to know the humans, and realizes there is another possibility besides just following her mother's brutal orders. She learns, watching Elian's people follow him, that there is a way to inspire loyalty rather than compel it by magic and brutality.
Lira definitely shows more character growth than Elian does, and the book never really explains how Elian gets past the fact that she's killed so many princes.
The beginning of the book was also a little slow - I actually set it aside for a couple of weeks while reading other things and worried a little that I was never going to pick it up again. Worried because I don't usually not finish books unless they're terrible, not because I actually wanted to find out what happened. I didn't get invested in the characters until probably about halfway through the book. Books usually catch me far before that point.
So - it was okay. If you want predatory mermaids, I would recommend Into the Drowning Deep long before this one. Though if you want more fantasy with a touch of romance, and less horror, then this is probably the book you want. Just be warned it takes some time to hit its stride.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
The 5th Wave: Book 1
8.0
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*NOW A MAJOR FILM by Sony Pictures, starring Chloe Grace Moretz* 'Wildly entertaining ...I couldn't...
Siren's Surrender (Dark Tides #2)
7.0
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Never embracing her mermaid heritage, Gwen Lonike lives in the human world as the owner of a Maine...
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Of Thorns and Beauty in Books
Dec 29, 2020
Never has a retelling been so close but so unimaginabley far away from the original fairytale. Of Thorns and Beauty is a New Adult masterpiece which will reel you in from its first pages and not let you go until its cruel cliffhanger.
A quick note that this is definitely a New Adult novel. Although not written about in detail this take includes the subjects of abuse, murder and rape as well as a bucket load of sexual tension.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is written solely from the perspective of our protagonist-the beauty Zaina. Forced into an arranged marriage with the renowned beast King Einar and denied any companions to accompany her, Zaina enters the "Beast's" castle entirely on her guard and unaware as to what sort of a life lays before her.
It quickly becomes apparent that Zaina's beauty has only ever caused pain and hardship for her in the past. As a result of this, she is a far cry from the bookish village girl seeking an adventure in the great wide somewhere. Zaina is fiery, sarcastic, dangerous and her prickly, defensive demeanour makes her few friends in her new home.
The use of a first person perspective with a protagonist such as Zaina really brings this novel to life. Zaina is such a damaged character and the reader is drip fed memories so partially and so slowly that we still don't know the extent of her suffering once the book has ended.
The style of writing also allows us to share Zaina's frustration at attempting to read her husband Einar's emotions: quite ironic for someone so closed off herself. The reader does not always feel empathy though: Zaina's defences are so high that she shuns any attempt at friendship; sometimes you just want to shake her!
Elements of the original beauty and the beast tale remain: there is indeed a curse, a rose and a forbidden west wing. However, these are so cleverly twisted that the reader will finish this book with an entirely different concept of who the Beast really is.
The fact that the authors themselves apologise for the cliffhanger, explaining that the characters and storyline just required more pages and more time, shows the sheer commitment to world building and character development.
Madison and Mahle introduce us to a whole new world of scenery and creatures; they pull us into the painful past of both main characters; place slimy villains in the shadows and raise our hopes of romance before throwing them off a cliff. This book is impossible to put down and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Thank you to Booksirens for the opportunity to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A quick note that this is definitely a New Adult novel. Although not written about in detail this take includes the subjects of abuse, murder and rape as well as a bucket load of sexual tension.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is written solely from the perspective of our protagonist-the beauty Zaina. Forced into an arranged marriage with the renowned beast King Einar and denied any companions to accompany her, Zaina enters the "Beast's" castle entirely on her guard and unaware as to what sort of a life lays before her.
It quickly becomes apparent that Zaina's beauty has only ever caused pain and hardship for her in the past. As a result of this, she is a far cry from the bookish village girl seeking an adventure in the great wide somewhere. Zaina is fiery, sarcastic, dangerous and her prickly, defensive demeanour makes her few friends in her new home.
The use of a first person perspective with a protagonist such as Zaina really brings this novel to life. Zaina is such a damaged character and the reader is drip fed memories so partially and so slowly that we still don't know the extent of her suffering once the book has ended.
The style of writing also allows us to share Zaina's frustration at attempting to read her husband Einar's emotions: quite ironic for someone so closed off herself. The reader does not always feel empathy though: Zaina's defences are so high that she shuns any attempt at friendship; sometimes you just want to shake her!
Elements of the original beauty and the beast tale remain: there is indeed a curse, a rose and a forbidden west wing. However, these are so cleverly twisted that the reader will finish this book with an entirely different concept of who the Beast really is.
The fact that the authors themselves apologise for the cliffhanger, explaining that the characters and storyline just required more pages and more time, shows the sheer commitment to world building and character development.
Madison and Mahle introduce us to a whole new world of scenery and creatures; they pull us into the painful past of both main characters; place slimy villains in the shadows and raise our hopes of romance before throwing them off a cliff. This book is impossible to put down and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Thank you to Booksirens for the opportunity to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated To Best the Boys in Books
Oct 5, 2020
I love Mary Weber as much as her food recipes she shares with us every single month! I don’t usually decide whether to read a certain book by its cover, but this cover made me want to find out more about it. When I read the synopsis, I had to read it, as it captures women fighting for their rights in a young-adult format, and it simply was something I couldn’t miss.
I will be honest with you and say that this book didn’t deliver. Maybe it was my expectations, after all, that got me too excited for my own good.
Let’s start with Rhen. She is a girl that loves science, and her father has taught her everything he knows. They are poor family and don’t have all the equipment in the world, but that doesn’t stop them to keep discovering and learning every day. In their kingdom, an unknown disease comes around, and Rhen’s mum is ill, with no cure yet. Rhen wants desperately to find a cure, and a rich boy wanting to marry her might promise her all the equipment she needs, but now it’s time that she lacks.
When the men’s annual tournament is about to begin, with boys fighting for the science scholarship, Rhen knows that she has no choice but to enter, disguised as a boy, and try to win this – for her, for her dad, and most importantly, for her mum.
The book flows really slowly. We get to about half of the book when Rhen decides to enter the tournament. I expected this to happen in the first couple of chapters, and to then have the adventure from within the labyrinth. For me, it was quite a slow beginning, but some of you might enjoy that. The writing is beautiful throughout.
>I loved the fighter within Rhen. She is a fierce person, determined to fight for what she wants. Even though throughout the book she has trouble with realising what is it that she really wants, we can see a bit of character development in her.
As a book that is supposed to cover gender equality, and women fighting for the same rights as men, this book didn’t really deliver. The letter states that every gentleperson – not gentleman. Which means, that inequality never truly exists at all. Women could have entered this competition, but they just chose not to.
The whole competition, the labyrinth and the scholarship lacks details and has enormous loopholes: one scholarship is given to one person – the one that wins the labyrinth. And after the winner is chosen, we have a scene where they all take a test, including the winner?
The disguise was a huge and important part of this book, as Rhen and her friend are pretending to be boys. Rhen cuts her hair, and her friend just pins it and ties it with a hat. They both wear boy clothes and barely remember to lower their voices. And that is all they do to not get recognised. And somehow, the people that know them their whole life fail to recognise them. A bit unbelievable…
I wish I loved this book, because I truly fell in love with the cover and the synopsis. But the whole labyrinth set-up seemed to be a side-story, with the illness being the main story, and the realisation of what Rhen actually wants to achieve. Random characters were introduced, that didn’t drive the story one bit, and the author also happened to throw in an inconsistent romance and a love triangle.
I hate to say this, but the book seems like an unfinished draft. It seemed so promising, and all I thought I would get out of this was non-existent.
I am not sure if I would want to recommend this book to you guys. If you want to give it a try, I encourage you, and would love to talk about it and hear what you think, but if you are here because you loved the synopsis, this book will probably not satisfy you
I will be honest with you and say that this book didn’t deliver. Maybe it was my expectations, after all, that got me too excited for my own good.
Let’s start with Rhen. She is a girl that loves science, and her father has taught her everything he knows. They are poor family and don’t have all the equipment in the world, but that doesn’t stop them to keep discovering and learning every day. In their kingdom, an unknown disease comes around, and Rhen’s mum is ill, with no cure yet. Rhen wants desperately to find a cure, and a rich boy wanting to marry her might promise her all the equipment she needs, but now it’s time that she lacks.
When the men’s annual tournament is about to begin, with boys fighting for the science scholarship, Rhen knows that she has no choice but to enter, disguised as a boy, and try to win this – for her, for her dad, and most importantly, for her mum.
The book flows really slowly. We get to about half of the book when Rhen decides to enter the tournament. I expected this to happen in the first couple of chapters, and to then have the adventure from within the labyrinth. For me, it was quite a slow beginning, but some of you might enjoy that. The writing is beautiful throughout.
>I loved the fighter within Rhen. She is a fierce person, determined to fight for what she wants. Even though throughout the book she has trouble with realising what is it that she really wants, we can see a bit of character development in her.
As a book that is supposed to cover gender equality, and women fighting for the same rights as men, this book didn’t really deliver. The letter states that every gentleperson – not gentleman. Which means, that inequality never truly exists at all. Women could have entered this competition, but they just chose not to.
The whole competition, the labyrinth and the scholarship lacks details and has enormous loopholes: one scholarship is given to one person – the one that wins the labyrinth. And after the winner is chosen, we have a scene where they all take a test, including the winner?
The disguise was a huge and important part of this book, as Rhen and her friend are pretending to be boys. Rhen cuts her hair, and her friend just pins it and ties it with a hat. They both wear boy clothes and barely remember to lower their voices. And that is all they do to not get recognised. And somehow, the people that know them their whole life fail to recognise them. A bit unbelievable…
I wish I loved this book, because I truly fell in love with the cover and the synopsis. But the whole labyrinth set-up seemed to be a side-story, with the illness being the main story, and the realisation of what Rhen actually wants to achieve. Random characters were introduced, that didn’t drive the story one bit, and the author also happened to throw in an inconsistent romance and a love triangle.
I hate to say this, but the book seems like an unfinished draft. It seemed so promising, and all I thought I would get out of this was non-existent.
I am not sure if I would want to recommend this book to you guys. If you want to give it a try, I encourage you, and would love to talk about it and hear what you think, but if you are here because you loved the synopsis, this book will probably not satisfy you
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Night Olivia Fell in Books
Mar 15, 2019
Wow!
I had been wanting to read The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald for awhile. I was beyond thrilled when I was able to borrow the eBook from my library. Luckily, the book lived up to the hype I had built in my mind.
I found the plot of The Night Olivia Fell to be very intriguing and well written. There were so many feelings with this novel. I enjoyed reading things from Abi's perspective and then going back in time to read flashbacks in Olivia's perspective. I found myself trying to decide if Olivia really was murdered or if she killed herself. There were so many times I thought I had figured out who pushed Olivia just to be wrong. I did find myself hoping that by some miracle, Olivia would go back to being the same before she fell off the bridge. (Hope springs eternal with me.) This was more than just the mystery of Olivia's fall. Olivia was also trying to figure out who her father was, and there was also Olivia's blossoming romance with Derrick. There were a few plot twists which were enjoyable. My only complaint is that I wish there would have been information on the court case. I just felt that I needed closure and to make sure justice was served. Other than that, I felt like the story was written perfectly.
I felt that the characters in The Night Olivia Fell were very fleshed out and realistic. My heart went out to both Olivia and Abi. I could understand how Abi just wanted to make sure Olivia was safe and doing well, but I could also sympathize with out Olivia felt like Abi was smothering her a lot of the time. Olivia was very much like a typical teenager to begin with, but once she found out she was pregnant, I felt like she really blossomed. Olivia would have been an excellent mother, and it was sweet to see how she was willing to protect her unborn baby. Abi just wanted what was best for Olivia being as she was a single mother. She worked her behind off to make sure Olivia was okay. It was obvious how much Abi loved Olivia. Kendall was a bit of a wild card. I liked her, but I was always wondering if she had an endgame. Gavin was another wild card. I wanted to believe he wouldn't stoop so low as to hurt a young innocent girl, but then the more I read about him, the more I wasn't sure of his character. I started out feeling sorry for Tyler with how much he had going on with him, but I was glad that Olivia chose Derek. Derek seemed to be really sweet, and it was sad that people judged him based on a some stretched truths.
The pacing was done brilliantly for The Night Olivia Fell. Not once did I ever feel like the story dragged on or was becoming too predictable. I felt as if each page was an adventure which made this book an easy read.
Trigger warnings for The Night Olivia Fell include violence, threats, blackmail, profanity, and a semi-graphic sex scene between a 17 year old girl and her boyfriend.
All in all, The Night Olivia Fell was a great read! It had such an interesting plot as well as fantastically written characters. This book grabs you by the hand and never lets you go. I would definitely recommend The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald to those aged 17+. It's one of those books that leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished it.
I found the plot of The Night Olivia Fell to be very intriguing and well written. There were so many feelings with this novel. I enjoyed reading things from Abi's perspective and then going back in time to read flashbacks in Olivia's perspective. I found myself trying to decide if Olivia really was murdered or if she killed herself. There were so many times I thought I had figured out who pushed Olivia just to be wrong. I did find myself hoping that by some miracle, Olivia would go back to being the same before she fell off the bridge. (Hope springs eternal with me.) This was more than just the mystery of Olivia's fall. Olivia was also trying to figure out who her father was, and there was also Olivia's blossoming romance with Derrick. There were a few plot twists which were enjoyable. My only complaint is that I wish there would have been information on the court case. I just felt that I needed closure and to make sure justice was served. Other than that, I felt like the story was written perfectly.
I felt that the characters in The Night Olivia Fell were very fleshed out and realistic. My heart went out to both Olivia and Abi. I could understand how Abi just wanted to make sure Olivia was safe and doing well, but I could also sympathize with out Olivia felt like Abi was smothering her a lot of the time. Olivia was very much like a typical teenager to begin with, but once she found out she was pregnant, I felt like she really blossomed. Olivia would have been an excellent mother, and it was sweet to see how she was willing to protect her unborn baby. Abi just wanted what was best for Olivia being as she was a single mother. She worked her behind off to make sure Olivia was okay. It was obvious how much Abi loved Olivia. Kendall was a bit of a wild card. I liked her, but I was always wondering if she had an endgame. Gavin was another wild card. I wanted to believe he wouldn't stoop so low as to hurt a young innocent girl, but then the more I read about him, the more I wasn't sure of his character. I started out feeling sorry for Tyler with how much he had going on with him, but I was glad that Olivia chose Derek. Derek seemed to be really sweet, and it was sad that people judged him based on a some stretched truths.
The pacing was done brilliantly for The Night Olivia Fell. Not once did I ever feel like the story dragged on or was becoming too predictable. I felt as if each page was an adventure which made this book an easy read.
Trigger warnings for The Night Olivia Fell include violence, threats, blackmail, profanity, and a semi-graphic sex scene between a 17 year old girl and her boyfriend.
All in all, The Night Olivia Fell was a great read! It had such an interesting plot as well as fantastically written characters. This book grabs you by the hand and never lets you go. I would definitely recommend The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald to those aged 17+. It's one of those books that leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished it.